Hennepin County District Court

Signing judge moves to 5th floor

Beginning Monday, March 19, the signing judge has relocated to room C593, on the 5th floor of the Courts Tower in the Hennepin County Government Center.

Video: Going to Criminal Court in Hennepin County

Going to Court? Watch the new video (4:31 minutes) to help you prepare.

Construction at Family Justice Center

On Monday, October 23, 2017, construction starts on the first floor of the Family Justice Center (FJC), 110 South 4th Street in Minneapolis. The following services will temporarily move within FJC as follows:

Family Court Filing and Records moves to Room 172 on the first floor just past security to the right.

Family Court Self Help Service Center moves to the Lower Level just outside of the elevators.

Please allow extra time as you plan your visit to Family Court. Thank you for your patience.

Video: Get Tips on How to Handle a Ticket in Hennepin County

Got a ticket or citation? Watch our new video (5 min.) to learn about your options.

The Probate Court handles cases involving property of deceased persons; court-supervised trusts; and guardianships and conservatorships for minor children and incapacitated or incompetent adults. Mental Health Court handles cases involving the civil commitment of people to treatment centers, and referrals from Criminal Court.

Important:

This daily calendar is updated during court business hours. It is SUBJECT TO CHANGE and may not include all cases handled by the court that day. Only scheduled activities appear in the calendar.

The calendar does NOT includeJuvenile Court cases. For information on those case, please call Juvenile Court Administration at (612) 348-4822.

Do not assume a court hearing has been canceled or rescheduled if it is not in the calendar. Parties are required to appear in court for their scheduled court hearings, regardless of whether the hearing is listed in this calendar.

Some hearings and case details are "confidential" and will not be listed in the calendars (e.g., Orders for Protection, Paternity, etc). Some hearings may be closed to everyone except the parties.

Hennepin County judicial officers are assigned to handle cases in various court divisions, and assignments can change from day to day. Check the roster to find the location, phone number, and assignment for each judge and referee who is schedule for hearings. For questions, please call (612) 348-2040.

Guardianship Motions and Responses - $77.00 (Exceptions: No fee is charged for uncontested petitions to allow accounts, sell real estate or discharges. A party objecting to a petition must pay either an initial filing fee or motion fee, as applicable.)

Browse the catalog to find forms that can be can be used in any Minnesota county district court. Also see the Appendix of Forms in the Minnesota Rules of Court.

Hennepin County Court Forms

The forms listed below are for use only in the Hennepin County District Court. To use these forms in another court, you must contact that specific county Court Administration and confirm that they will accept the form.

Traffic Court Forms

Other Legal Forms

Delegation of Powers by Parent Form (LawHelpMN.org) If a parent wants to give another adult the temporary right to provide a home for a child and make decisions about the child's schooling, medical care, etc., the parent may be able to use this non-court form. Use of this form does NOT grant "custody" of a child under Minnesota law.

Walk-in Services

The Self Help Centers have computers with access to online resources such as tools to fill out court forms, "how-to" videos, and tutorials that are available on a first-come first-served basis. Other services include:

Tips on Using the Self Help Centers

Visit the Help Topics on the MN Courts website before you come to the courthouse. That website offers lots of information on common legal topics as well as online tools to fill out court forms, "how to" videos, and tutorials. You may be able to handle your legal matter or find answers to your questions without going to the courthouse.

Please arrange for child care. The walk-in Self Help Centers do NOT have a play area or toys for children. You and other customers will need to be able to focus on legal issues without distractions.

Expect to spend some time on your legal issues, both on your own as well as at the Self Help Center. You may have to return to the Self Help Center several times to complete the steps in your case.

Bring your checkbook or cash. Walk-in services are free at the Self Help Center, but there may be a fee for certain things in your case. Example: criminal history printouts, subpoenas, forms, and filing.

Mandatory Motion Screening

If your case is filed in Hennepin County Family Court and you are not represented by an attorney, then your motion must be screened by the Family Justice Center Self Help Center before a hearing date will be set. (Except: Screening is not required for "ex pro" child support motions where the County Child Support Office is involved in the case.) The screening process does not mean that the judge or referee will automatically grant your motion. The motion will be decided based on the law, the evidence, and the legal arguments of all of the parties involved in the case.

How to Get a Motion Screened

STEP 1

Get these papers together:

The forms for your motion (or response to a motion sent to you). These must be filled out to the best of your ability. If you have questions that keep you from finishing the forms, please make an appointment with the Family Court Self Help Center by calling (612) 596-8519.

A copy of the latest court order(s) that you want to change or enforce through your motion.

If you are responding to a motion served on you, bring all the papers you received from the other person.

STEP 2

Choose a screening option (by appointment or walk-in) described below. If your motion forms are for divorce, paternity, or third-party custody, then you MUST schedule an appointment for screening.

Screening Options

1. By Appointment

We strongly encourage people to schedule an appointment to have court forms screened by the Family Justice Center Self Help Center. Call (612) 596-8519 to schedule your 1-hour appointment (or 2-hour appointment for third-party custody cases as these are more complicated). The staff will meet with you and explain any issues with your forms and answer your questions. The staff cannot give you legal advice, but if you need legal advice, the staff can give you referrals. The staff will also explain the next steps in the motion process. IMPORTANT: Please allow extra time for traffic and parking near the courthouse to avoid being late for your appointment. We will only hold appointments for 10 minutes.

2. Walk-in

Appointments are encouraged, but staff will try to review completed court forms on a walk-in basis. Staff handle appointments first, so if you come to the Self Help Center without an appointment, you may have to wait 30 minutes or longer before staff can help you. Third-party custody papers cannot be screened on a walk-in basis; you must schedule an appointment.

Please make sure that your court forms are filled out BEFORE coming to the Self Help Center. If your forms are not completed, or you do not have all of the required information, you may have to return another day for an appointment. Also bring copies of any recent court orders issued in your case.

Q: How can the Family Justice Center Self Help Center help me?
The staff will sit with you and explain any problems with your completed forms and answer your questions, but cannot give you legal advice. The next steps in the process will be explained. If you are having trouble with the forms, do not understand the written instructions you received, or if the forms do not seem to fit your situation, a facilitator can help you work through your papers.

Q:Do I need an appointment or can I get help on a walk-in basis?
A lot of people use the Self-Help Center, so you are strongly encouraged to schedule an appointment to have your forms reviewed rather than try to do it on a walk-in basis. Appointments are usually available from 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m., Monday - Friday.

If your case involves third party custody, then you MUST schedule an appointment. These cases are complicated and generally cannot be reviewed on a walk-in basis. If your case involves other family law disputes, court staff may be available to help you on a walk-in basis, but you may have to wait quite a while to speak with someone.

NOTE: Appointments can often last more than an hour, so please plan ahead for parking, child care, or if you need to take time off of work. Allow extra time for traffic and parking so you are not late for your appointment. We only hold appointments for 10 minutes.

By E-mail

Use the Contact Us form to send us your question by e-mail at any time, and we will try to answer within two to three business days.

By Phone

People representing themselves in court can ask questions about court forms, procedures, and legal resources by calling the statewide MN Court Self Help Center during service hours.

Family Court Self Help Center
Family Justice Center

Help is offered on divorce, custody, child support, and other family law cases at this location. Court forms are available for pick-up from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Court forms review service:

Walk-in: Reviews of completed forms are available starting at 8 a.m., Monday-Friday, on a first-come, first-served basis, until the list is full. Arrive early for the best chance of getting on the list. No walk-ins are taken from noon to 1 p.m.

Volunteer lawyers give brief, free legal advice at several locations in the Hennepin County Court, including the Self Help Centers, Conciliation Court, Housing Court, and the Courthouse at Brookdale. Use of these advice clinics is generally limited to people who live in Hennepin County or have a court case in Hennepin County. Some clinic services are also limited to people whose income is within a certain range of the Federal Poverty Guidelines. All clinics are first-come, first served.

Legal Access Point (LAP) Clinic at the Government Center

Sign up for all clinic times starts at 8:00 a.m.

General public:

Free legal consults are available on most legal topics. No income limit applies.

Check the Legal Access Point Clinic Calendar to see legal topics handled by volunteer attorneys each day. Attorneys listed as “General” on the Calendar do not give family law or criminal law advice. NOTE: The advice clinic attorneys are volunteers. Their schedules are subject to changes or cancellations without notice. Call (612)752-6666 if you want to confirm that an attorney will be at the advice clinic on a particular day.

Legal Access Point (LAP) Clinic at the Brookdale Courthouse

General public:

Free legal consults are available on any legal topic. No income limit applies.

Hours:

12:00 noon - 2:00 p.m. Monday only (usually once each month). Please call (612)752-6666 to confirm when an attorney is scheduled to be at the clinic.

Family Law Advice by PhoneLow-income people who live in Hennepin County can get a free 20-minute legal advice consult on family law matters from the Volunteer Lawyers Network. To schedule a consult, please call the VLN Intake Line at (612)752-6677 from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Monday, Wednesday or Thursday.